Prayer of Commitment

One: Caring, Just One, you have created us in your likeness. We are all part of your holy family.

Many: We commit ourselves to welcome the stranger in our midst not only because we were once strangers but because we are kin.

One: Caring, Just One, you invite us to offer hospitality because that is where we can find you; where we can find ourselves entertaining angels.

Many: We commit ourselves to opening our hearts to this reality and basing our social justice work on this principle of divine equality.

One: Caring, Just One, you have asked us to read the landscape of our fears, the terrain of other peoples’ sorrow and turn our borders into bridges of compassion.

Many: We commit ourselves to not live in fear and work toward the creation of humane borders that acknowledge that no human being is illegal for seeking the right to work and feed their family.

One: Caring, Just One, you have asked us to stand up to the powers and principalities that destroy human dignity.

Many: We commit ourselves to creating a fair immigration system that recognizes immigrants’ full humanity and eliminates barriers to their full participation in our society.

One: Caring, Just One, you have asked us to create just laws for all of your people.

Many: We commit ourselves to voting against punitive legislation that deprives immigrants of due process or civil rights, and in support of laws that protect and ensure these rights.

One: Caring, Just One, you created this word and all that is in it, and it is good.

Many: We commit ourselves to its preservation through changing our lifestyles from ones based on limitless consumption and thus limitless exploitation of others.

One: The Caring and Just One has prepared us to be living sanctuaries for love and justice. May we cross all the boundaries that separate us from our own true self and from others. May we know the joy and suffering of inter-connectedness. May we have the wisdom and courage to say no to unjust laws that deprive people of their dignity and rights. May our solidarity with immigrants be a transforming power in the world. May we work together to restore and rebuild our beloved communities.

Used during worship at Lyndale United Church of Christ, Minneapolis, MNFebruary 22, 2009